Clutch structure



C. GERST CLUTCH STRUCTURE Jan. 15, 1946.

Filed May 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENT OR. CHRIS B E R57 f 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHRIS GERST awn/L a V72 7,

Jan. 15, 1946. c. GERST CLUTCH STRUCTURE Filed May 29, 1944 an. 15,1946. c. GERST 2,392,984

CLUTCH STRUCTURE Filed May 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOR.

j/ms 551257 Jan. 15, 1946.

C. GERST CLUTCH STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 29, i944 FIG" 13 WZT INVENTOR. CHRIS GR$ T Patented Jan. 15, 1946 SATES .ATENT mission Specialties Company, Detroit, Mich.

a partnership oi Michigan Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,874 (Cl. 192-69) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to friction clutches in which independently rotatable driving and driven members are coupled with each other by a plurallty of friction disks when these disks are brought into frictional cooperationby clutching means including backing and clamping plates for the disks and means for shifting the plates into clamping and releasing positions. Clutches of this type enerally embody a hub, a casing, a

shifting collar slidably mounted on the hub, and

clutch actuating means including lever members coupled either with the hub, the casing or the shifting collar.

The present invention which refers particularly to clutch structures having the lever members of their clutch actuating means coupled with and supported by a shifting collar, has for its general, object the provision of an improvedclutch structure of the type referred to above which, in addition to the mounting of a shifting collar .member on the clutch hub and pivotal mounting of clutch actuating levermembers on the shifting collar member, includes backing and tripping means on the hub member arranged so as to be positioned inside of the shifting collar member to effect clutching and tripping movements of the clutch actuating lever members inside of the shifting collar member for eflicient and quick clutching and releasing action of thesemembers by short shifting movements of the collar member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of. an improved clutch structure of the typerei'erred to above, in which the backing and tripiping means on the clutch hub are arranged within radial slots of the hub cut inwardly into an enlarged portion thereof, and in which the clutchactuating lever members are pivoted to the shifting collar member in areas above said radial slots for inward tilting of these levers and cooperation with the backing and tripping means when the shifting collar member is actuated for clutching and releasing operations.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved clutch structure of the type referred to above, in which the backing and tripping means for the clutch actuating lever members are positioned on the hub inside of the clutch hub encircling collar member, and in which these backing and tripping means have an inclined contact face forming with the inclined contact face of the customary clamping plate a --v-shaped channel means cooperating with said clatch actuating lever means in clutching and releasing operations.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved clutch structure of the type referred to above, in which the hub is formed with a slotted flange or rim circumferentially spaced from the hub body portion and-connected therewith by wall means simultaneously acting as'backing and tripping means, with the clutch actuating lever members-aligned with the slots in said flange or rim for proper cooperation with said wall means in clutching and releasing operations.

Clutch structures built in accordance with the heretofore mentioned objects of the invention permit proper, quick and powerful clutching and releasing action of the clutch operating mechanism with relatively short strokes of the shifting collar, furthermore, and to a great extent, are self-locking due to substantially rectangular relation of stresses applied during clutching operations to the clutch actuating lever members and their shifting collar, and, finally, are self -adjustable so as to compensate for wear and tear on the friction disks of the clutch. as the v-shaped channel cooperating with the clutch actuating lever members permits such a compensation for wear by mere increaseof the stroke of the Shift? ing collar until the pivot points of these clutch actuating lever members are vertically above the ii-shaped channel.

With the above and other incidental objects with the invention, the figure showing a dual arrangement of clutches adapted to'be used or efiecting changes in speed or a reversal i tion of th driven member.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view, partly in eleva tion, of the assembled hub and shifting collar member of the clutch shown in Fig. 1, thejsection taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing mounting of the clutch actuating lever members in the collar member and of the backing and tripping members in the hub. P f Flg."3 is a fragmentary sectional view o clutch structure shown in Fig. 1 when in clutching position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the shifting collar.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the hub.

Fig, 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing a clutch structure with a somewhat differently constructed backing and tripping member.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of another form of a clutch constructed in accordance with the invention, the figure showing a hub arrangement having a rim portion forming the bearing support for the shifting collar and a wall portion supporting the rim portion and forming the backing and tripping means for the clutch actuating lever mechanim.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to the clutch structure shown in Fig. 7 when in clutching position. v

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view, partly in elevation, through the clutch structure shown in Fig.

'7, the section being taken on line 9-9 of said figure.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the hub of the clutch structure shown in Fig. 7, with the backing and tripping rings of the hub disclosed at its opposite ends.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of a clutch structure similar to the structure disclosed in Fig. 7, with the exception that the backing and tripping rings of the hub are threaded upon the hub to permit adjustment and compensation for excessiv wear of the friction disks;

and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 6, with a somewhat different backing and stripping member permitting self-adjustment and compensation for wear of the clutch disks, the figure disclosing in dash-dotted lines the amount of compensation attainable by increasing the stroke of the shifting collar.

Referring now more particularly to the structure shown in Figs. 1 through 5 of the drawings,

2 reference numeral 2 designates a flywheel, the =3 driving member of the construction, which memher is suitably connected with a power source (not shown), and reference numeral 3 designates a shaft, the driven member of the construction. Members 2 and 3 are coupled with each other by a dual clutch construction 4 embodying an elongated hub 5 splined to the driven member, shaft 3, which hub includes an enlarged central portion 6 and mounts on its reduced opposite end portions 1, 1' identical clutch constructions 8, 8', only one of which will be described hereinafter. Each of these clutch constructions includes a plurality f friction driven disks 9 splined to the end portions of hub 5 and arranged thereon for axial movement with respect to hub 5. These friction driven disks 9 are alternately disposed with respect to a plurality of friction driving disks H) which have their toothed peripheries ll arranged in driving engagement with the toothed flanged portion [2 of flywheel 2 so as to permit axial movement of disks It with respect to said flanged portion l2. The thus related sets of friction driven disks 9 and friction driving disks I0 are forced into frictional driving engagement by a pair of clamping members embodying a backing plate It splined to hub- 5 and prevented from endwise movement by a split ring l5 and a clamping or pressure plate 18 splined to hub 5 and axially shiftably arranged with respect thereto. These clamping members, backing plate i log engagement between diskss and Ill.

asoaoaa.

member 19 which permits adjustment of the space between backing plate M and clamping plate 15 to maintain proper relationship between these plates in accordance with wear and tear on friction disks 9 and In in adjusted position of the clutch, is releasably engaged with plate It by a spring-pressed locking pin 2| on member i9, which pin effects locking of ring member I! in cooperation with circumferentially disposed holes 22 in pressure or clamping plate It.

The thus constructed clutches: are shifted into driving position by a clutch actuating mechanism which is mounted on enlarged central hub portion 6. For such purpose, this central hub portion includes in its peripheral surface a plurality of equispaced radial slots 23, each of which has arranged between its opposite walls 24, 24' a roller member amounted on a pin 26. Roller member 25 forms backing and tripping means for a dual clutch lever 21 which is pivotally supported by a collar member 28, a pivot pin 22 being used for this purpose,.and carries in each of its bifurcated arms 30, 30' a roller 3|, 2| respectively. Dual-clutch lever 21 engages roller 25 when collar member 28, axially shlftably, secured to central hub, portion 6 by a key 22, is shifted in opposite directions by a shifting collar 33 freely rotatably mounted on a peripheral rib 34 of collar member 28 andp'rovided with trunnions 35 forengagement with a shifting fork not shown.

During clutching operations for clutch construction 8 shifting collar 33, and therewith collar member 28, are shifted toward the left (see Fig. 3), so that roller member 25 trips roller 3| on lever arm 30' and tilts lever arm 20 of dual clutch lever 21 toward the inclined contact surface 35 of floating ring 20. During this movement roller 3| on lever arm 3|! engages contact surface 36 and roller member 25, shifts floating ring 20 with pressure or clamping plate ii toward backing plate ll to effect a frictional driv- In clutching position of clutch lever 21, the axis of its lever arm 30 is substantially rectangularly related to the axis of collar member 28 and, consequently, lever 21 in clutching position is selflocked. 1

Clutch releasing operations for clutch construction 8 are effected by shlftingcollar 32 and therewith collar member 28 toward the right. so that roller member 25 trips roller 3| and tilts dual clutch lever 21 back into neutral position. so that clamping or backing plate l6 can readily be shifted in an opposite direction by release springs i1. It is obvious that shifting of collar member 28 in the opposite directions will effect clutching and releasing operations on clutch construction 8', therefore, description of further clutch operations is superfluous. Instead of using as backing and tripping means a. roller memher, as shown .in Figs. 1 through 5, such backing and tripping means may take the form of a shoe member, see Fig. 6. In this figure, the clutch structure is similar constructed as the previously described structure, with the exception that radial slots 23 in enlarged central hub portion 6 mount as tripping and backing means shoe members 3?, each of which rests with its flat base 38 on the bottom walls of the respective slot 23 and is securely held Lil said slot by a pin 39. Preferably, shoe members3l are formed with a rounded head portion to to facilitate tripping action on clutch lever 21.

Whereas clutclt. structures of the type shown in Figs. 1 through 6 necessitate adjustment means to permit compensation for wear and tear on their clutch disks, the clutch structures disclosed in Figs. through automatically compensate for such wear and tear. A clutch structure of this latter type embodies a hub 4|, the splined end portions 42, d2 of which mount clutch constructions 43, '23 similar to the constructions 8, 8' shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that each of the constructions includes an integral clamping clamping means for effecting engagement of said plate 44 having an inclined contact area 45 for dual clutch lever means 46 coupled to a collar member ll by means of a pin 48. This collar member is slidably keyed by a key 49 to a circumi'erential flange or rim 5|! surrounding the central portion 5! of hub 4i and is connected to said central portion by a radial wall 52. Flange or rim 50 is cut away at 53 opposite clutch lever means 86 to permit tilting of the arms 54, 54' of lever means 46 toward the axis of hub 4i and engagement of rollers 55 at the ends of these arms with the inclined contact areas 45 on pressure or clamping plates dd: when collar member at is shifted on flange or rim 5d. Preferably, as shown,

the radial wall 52 backs up frusto cone-shaped hardened steel rings 56 which provide backing and tripping means for dual clutch lever means 66 and which, together with the oppositely inclined contactsurfaces of backing and clamping plates dd, form V-shaped channels to be entered by rollers 5.5.when collar member d! is shifted on rim 50 in one or the other direction. The V- shape cross section of these channels provides self-compensation for wear on the clutch disks by increasing the stroke of collar member 47, an

of the clamping plates eflect self-compensation for wear and tear on the clutch disks. Each tripping and backing shoe 68 embodies a rounded head portion 39 and flaring contact faces 10, which latter, together with the inclined contact surfaces ll of clamping plates 61, form channels 12 with a V-shape cross section permitting selfcompensation for wear in the manner referred to above, all as indicated in Fig. 12 by dash-dotted lines indicating the possible wear on the clutch disks to be possibly compensated for by increase of the stroke of collar member. 28.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a clutch the combination of friction members attachable to separate rotary parts and adapted for driving engagement with each other,

friction members, a plurality of individual operating levers for said clamping means, each of said levers being mounted to swing freely toward the axis of said clutch, axially shiftable means encircling and individually pivotally supporting each of said levers, .and means on one of said rotary parts encircled by said shiftable means, said last mentioned means contacting said levers during shifting operations and, in

cooperation with said shiftable supporting means, efiecting shifting of said levers into clutching and clutch releasing positions when said shiftable means is shifted in opposite directions.

2. In a clutch the combination of a hub having radial slots in its periphery, cooperating friction members shiftably arranged with respect to said hub, clamping means for said friction members, 1

and means for actuating said clamping means including means on said hub arranged in the radial slots thereof, a shiftable collar member on increase which automatically effects further shifting of clamping plates d6 toward the respective backing plates 51, 57'.

} The modified form of clutch structure shown in Fig. 11 closely resembles the structure of Figs. 7 through 10, with the exception that the hardened frusto cone-shaped steel rings 58 include internally threaded portions 59 threadedly engaged with the threaded central portion 69 of hub 6! to permit axial shifting of these rings on hub 6i and .therewith adjustment of these rings with respect to the clamping plates 66 of the respective clutch constructions t3 and d3. To permit the desired shifting of steel rings 58 these rings include intheir contact faces 63 circular grooves 82. Rings 58 are held in their adjusted positions by locking springs 65, 65' engaging notches M inthe peripheral edges of these rings. Locking springs 65, 65' can readily be disengaged from their locking engagement with notches 66 by drawing their yielding levers into slot $6 in rim 5d.

a means and encircled by said collar member, saidsaid hub, and operating lever means individually pivoted to said collar member and encircled thereby, said means on said hub being arranged in said slots and encircled by said collar member for cooperation with said operating lever means in shifting same to clutch engaging and clutch releasing positions when said collar member is shifted in opposite directions.

3. A clutch as described in claim 2, wherein said means on said hub each consists of a roller on a pin mounted in the opposite walls of the mounted on opposite end portions of said hub,

and actuating means for said clutch structures mounted on the central portion of said hub, said actuating means including a collar member shiftably arranged on said central portion. clutch operating lever means arranged within said collar means and pivotally coupled therewith, .and means mounted on said hub opposite said lever means on said huh being arranged opposite said operating lever means for cooperation therewith The modified form of clutch structure shown Y in Fig. 12 discloses a structure similar to the clutch structureshown in Fig. 6, with the excep-. tion that the clutch construction lacks adjustment means, that the clamping plate 81 resembles the clamping plates shown in the clutch structure of Fig. 7,.and that the tripping and backing shoes 68 in cooperation with the inclined contact faces in shifting same to clutch engaging and clutch releasing positions for each of said clutch structures when said collar member is shifted in opposite directions.

6. A clutch as described in claim 5, wherein the central portion of said hub includes radial slots in its periphery, wherein said means on said hub are mounted in said radial slots, and wherein said clutch operating lever means i clutch lever means pivotally supported by said collar member so that the arms of said lever means extend into said slots and cooperate with said means in said slots during clutch engaging and releasing operations when said collar member is shifted in opposite directions.

7. In a clutch the combination of a hub, cooperating friction members shiftably arranged with respect to said hub, clamping means for said triction members including a clamping plate having an inclined end face and means for actuating said clamping means, said actuating means embodying means mounted on said hub and having an inclined end face opposite the end face' of said clamping plate to provide a V-shaped slot therewith, a collar member shiftably mounted on said hub, and operating lever means encircled by and coupled with said collar member, said collar member cooperating with said means on said hub in shifting said operating lever means into and out of said V-shaped slot during clutch engaging and disengaging operations.

8. In a clutch the combination or a hub, cooperating friction members shiftably arranged with respect to said hub. clamping means for said friction members, and means for actuating said clamping means, said hub including a main body, rim-like sections encircling said main body in spaced relation and connected therewith by a wall integrally extended from said main body, and said actuatingmeans including a collar member slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said rim-like sections, and operating lever means pivoted to said collar member and including lever arm means adapted tobe'shiited between adjoining rim-like sections toward said wall for cooperation therewith in clutch engaging and disengaging operations when said collar member is shifted in 01 9 site directions. i I

I 9. In a clutch the combination of a hub embodying a main body portion and a rim portion encircling said body portion and connected therewith by a wall, cut-out portions in said rim portion parallel to its axis, cooperating friction members shiftably arranged with respect to said assasss main body, clamping means for said friction members, and actuating means for said clamping means, said actuating means including a, collar out portions toward said wall by actuation of said collar member and therewith actuation of said clamping-means by said lever means.

10. A clutch as described in claim 9, wherein said clamping means includes a clamping plate having an inclined .end face, and wherein said wall backs up a ring-shaped contact member forming together with said inclined face of said clamping means a channel or substantially V- shaped crosssection for cooperation with said operating lever means in clutch engaging and releasing operations.

11. A clutch as described in claim 9, wherein the body portion or the hub axially adiustably mounts a ring-shaped backing and tripping member for said operating lever means which backing and tripping member cooperates with said collar member in shitting said operating lever means into clutch engaging and releasing positions whensaid collar member is shifted in opposite directions.

12. In a clutch a hub, clutching structures at opposite ends of said hub, and clutch actuating means for selective actuation of either or said clutching structures. said actuating means ineluding means mounted on the central portion oi said hub, a dual clutch lever arranged substantially opposite to said means on said hub. and shiitable' collar means on said hub, said collar means pivotally supporting said dual clutch lever and encircling same, and said collar means cooperating with said means on said hub in eflecting tilting of said dual clutch lever into clutching and clutch releasing positions for either of said clutchingwtructures, when said collar means is shifted in opposite directions.

i CHRIS GERST. 

